Author Topic: Suwannee, GA  (Read 5051 times)

ThatGuy701

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Suwannee, GA
« on: March 01, 2015, 06:50:48 PM »
Hey everyone!

We are looking into potentially moving to Suawanee, GA and wondering if anyone has some insight on the area.

Is it bike friendly?

Is it culturally progressives?

What are some hightlights?

What are some of the downfalls?

Is there close by outdoor reiteration?

Etc...

wordnerd

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Re: Suwannee, GA
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2015, 07:00:42 PM »
I haven't spent a ton of time in Suwannee (I live in Atlanta), but know several people who live there and have visited them there. My impression it is reasonably culturally conservative (as are many of the outer Atlanta suburbs) with good schools, large houses and lawns, and not much of a town center. Streets are wide and probably more bike friendly than Atlanta-proper, but there's not a ton to bike to (commuting to other towns via bike seems difficult). Being in north Georgia, you'd be pretty close to decent hiking and other outdoor activities.

themagicman

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Re: Suwannee, GA
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2015, 07:28:53 PM »
I haven't spent a ton of time in Suwannee (I live in Atlanta), but know several people who live there and have visited them there. My impression it is reasonably culturally conservative (as are many of the outer Atlanta suburbs) with good schools, large houses and lawns, and not much of a town center. Streets are wide and probably more bike friendly than Atlanta-proper, but there's not a ton to bike to (commuting to other towns via bike seems difficult). Being in north Georgia, you'd be pretty close to decent hiking and other outdoor activities.

+1. I haven't spent a lot of time but I live in Suwannee's equivalent on the other side of Atlanta. I would say this accurately describes what I have heard and noticed. Where are you coming from? Where will you be working?

HairyUpperLip

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Re: Suwannee, GA
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2015, 07:58:10 PM »
May I ask why you're moving to suwannee?

I live next to it, literally. I'm on my phone though so I'll respond properly later from the computer.


ThatGuy701

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Re: Suwannee, GA
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2015, 08:40:51 PM »
We would be moving for a potential job offer.

Currently living in a small town in MN.

red7

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Re: Suwannee, GA
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2015, 10:53:02 PM »
Suwanee does have a bit of a town center, with a big lawn/amphitheater where they host outdoor events. It's a destination they built, not anything that came about organically by people living around it (I'd bet they're encouraging nearby housing now though). They have movie nights, regular food truck events, fun runs, concerts, etc. But it's not the compact, walk to every kind of store possible, laid out in neat square blocks kind of "town" that I think most people (who live in true cities) envision when they start talking about town centers. It's in a really nice area though, and like I said, they hold a number of community events throughout the year.

I'm sure you've seen the official website, but just in case: http://www.suwanee.com/

It is in Gwinnett county (note there are 2 n's in Gwinnett and only 1 in Suwanee), which is pretty large. That can be a pro and a con. It's one of the largest school systems in the US by enrollment (award-winning but very large enrollments per school), and it has an extensive and award-winning parks system. Seriously, there are a lot of parks. They're not like the national parks with major hiking trails, etc., but they're still very nice outdoor spaces with volleyball courts, lakes, running paths, sports fields, and a variety of other activities. There are several national parks within an hour's drive if that's more what you want, though. Suwanee also puts an emphasis on preserving green space within the city itself.

Several minor league teams for professional sports are located in Gwinnett, including baseball, hockey, and soccer teams. The Gwinnett Arena seems to have almost as many big-name concerts as Phillips Arena in Atlanta proper, and the Gwinnett Civic Center hosts performing arts shows, expos, conventions, etc. You'd be close to most of those venues, should you be interested in those sorts of things (not the soccer one, though).

Traffic, if you are trying to get much further than Suwanee itself, is going to be a nightmare around rush hours IMO. The area is growing in popularity but there aren't many major roads to service it. Certain segments of roads might be more bike-friendly than surrounding areas, but I think you'd be taking a real risk to bike very far on any of the main thoroughfares because of the traffic volume and road characteristics. There are some bike paths, but I'm not sure how much they connect useful places. I think they're intended more for recreation/enjoyment than commuting or running errands. For public transportation, there is 1 local bus route that connects Suwanee to other major "destinations" (2 malls and the aforementioned Gwinnett Arena/Civic Center).

Culturally, I wouldn't necessarily call it progressive. I wouldn't say that it was stiflingly conservative, either. It's definitely right of center.

Also, if you do move there, make sure you're pronouncing it correctly: Swah-knee (with a bit more emphasis on the "ah" than the "knee"). Sue-wa-knee and its slight variations are a dead giveaway that you're not from around here. :) There's nothing wrong with that, of course. People just might look at you funny until they figure out what you mean (and then chuckle).

Note: My knowledge comes from living nearby my whole life (thought not quite as close as HairyUpperLip currently lives), driving through the area, and spending time with students/families who live in Suwanee.

HairyUpperLip

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Re: Suwannee, GA
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2015, 06:38:45 AM »
Suwanee does have a bit of a town center, with a big lawn/amphitheater where they host outdoor events. It's a destination they built, not anything that came about organically by people living around it (I'd bet they're encouraging nearby housing now though). They have movie nights, regular food truck events, fun runs, concerts, etc. But it's not the compact, walk to every kind of store possible, laid out in neat square blocks kind of "town" that I think most people (who live in true cities) envision when they start talking about town centers. It's in a really nice area though, and like I said, they hold a number of community events throughout the year.

Really good way of describing it. Definitely a great place to go and we take our daughter to play sometimes. As far as the shops, they aren't really that cool or special. We never check any of them out, and the few local bakeries there that I tried to support made me regret spending the money. But, again, it's a great green space if you have some kids. They even have a water fountain in the middle that kids are allowed to play in.

Several minor league teams for professional sports are located in Gwinnett, including baseball, hockey, and soccer teams. The Gwinnett Arena seems to have almost as many big-name concerts as Phillips Arena in Atlanta proper, and the Gwinnett Civic Center hosts performing arts shows, expos, conventions, etc. You'd be close to most of those venues, should you be interested in those sorts of things (not the soccer one, though).

Like it or not, Gwinnett is more than just a commuter county so there is plenty of large scale events held here.

Traffic, if you are trying to get much further than Suwanee itself, is going to be a nightmare around rush hours IMO. The area is growing in popularity but there aren't many major roads to service it. Certain segments of roads might be more bike-friendly than surrounding areas, but I think you'd be taking a real risk to bike very far on any of the main thoroughfares because of the traffic volume and road characteristics. There are some bike paths, but I'm not sure how much they connect useful places. I think they're intended more for recreation/enjoyment than commuting or running errands. For public transportation, there is 1 local bus route that connects Suwanee to other major "destinations" (2 malls and the aforementioned Gwinnett Arena/Civic Center).

Traffic in Metro Atlanta sucks, that's for sure.

The major interstates always have heavy traffic for morning and afternoon rush hour. There is some bike lanes around, but like red said they are more just because and not really intended to provide transportation routes. I've never used the county's public bus system, so I can't really comment on it.

Also, if you do move there, make sure you're pronouncing it correctly: Swah-knee (with a bit more emphasis on the "ah" than the "knee"). Sue-wa-knee and its slight variations are a dead giveaway that you're not from around here. :) There's nothing wrong with that, of course. People just might look at you funny until they figure out what you mean (and then chuckle).

Note: My knowledge comes from living nearby my whole life (thought not quite as close as HairyUpperLip currently lives), driving through the area, and spending time with students/families who live in Suwanee.

I moved to the city next door to Suwanee back in 1994 as a young kid. I grew up here for the most part. I'm racially and religiously different than most of the general population so some of my experiences and views may be different than what the more "normal" person experiences. Overall, I like it here. I also used to live in a smaller city in Iowa so I have some experience in the midwest as well.



HairyUpperLip

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Re: Suwannee, GA
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2015, 07:02:26 AM »
Hey everyone!

We are looking into potentially moving to Suawanee, GA and wondering if anyone has some insight on the area.

Is it bike friendly?
Simple answer, no not really. It's not

Is it culturally progressives?
Depends what you are really hoping to find. I'm with red, it's really in the middle I guess.

What are some hightlights?
not sure about any specific highlights to Suwanee itself. The town center as Red mentioned is pretty nice for families and events. There is a few event centers in Gwinnett, a big mall is nearby, lots of shopping plaza's.

What are some of the downfalls?
The police have a reputation for being overly aggressive with traffic citations. Been pulled over myself for made up reasons in Suwanee. You have to drive everywhere it seems like. GA is not really pedestrian friendly imo, not even in downtown Atlanta. The whole county was over built in the 90's and early 2000's during the boom years, now I feel like there is way too many shopping plazas. I wish there was more free fun things to do. People will flock to Taco Mac, Chili's, Outback, etc, but I don't see much enthusiasm for locally owned businesses.

Is there close by outdoor reiteration?
I guess Helen, GA and the mountains aren't too far away. Lake Lanier is not too far way, but it's usually pretty crowded on holidays and the summer. We used to go there a lot as kids for picnics near the water. It's not a bad spot. I think Suwanee has a walking large trail, but I've never checked it out - the name is slipping my mind now.

Etc...


Tried to answer your questions. Red did a great job as well. Post up if you have more questions.

ThatGuy701

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Re: Suwannee, GA
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2015, 11:02:19 AM »
Thanks everyone for the input. My wife and I are really looking for a place that has a laid back feel and allows for a mustachian life style of biking to work and close outdoor activities.

We will continue our research on Suawanee and definitely keep all your comments in mind. They were helpful!

HairyUpperLip

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Re: Suwannee, GA
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2015, 11:16:52 AM »
Thanks everyone for the input. My wife and I are really looking for a place that has a laid back feel and allows for a mustachian life style of biking to work and close outdoor activities.

We will continue our research on Suawanee and definitely keep all your comments in mind. They were helpful!

It's possible if you live close enough to work. But I wouldn't suggest riding down any of the main roads during peak times, personally.

 

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